Liqtjid-ftjel-control system



S. G. DOWN.

LIQUID FUEL CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLlCATlON FILED JULY 5.1919.

Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

INVENTOR Sidney GDown by 9%.

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

SIDNEY G. DOWN, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T ASSOCIATED EN GINEER- ING AND SUPPLY COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

LIQUID-FUEL-CONTROL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

Application filed. July 5, 1919. Serial No. 308,886.

"State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Li uid-Fuel-Control Systems, of which the ollowing is a specification. V

This invention relates to liquid fuel con trol systems, and more particularly to a system for regulating the intenslty of the fire and the furnace draft in connection with a furnaceemployed for heating a steam in the following more detailed description of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view, partly in section, of a liquid fuel burning system embodying my invention; Fig. 2 an end elevation thereof; Fig. 3' an enlarged sectional view of the fuel controllin device; and Fig. 4 a view of the auxiliary valve device applied in a difl'erent manner from the auxiliary valve device shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawing, the apparatus 7 may comprise a steam boiler 1 having a furnace door opening 2 and a smoke stack 3. For regulating. the flow of liquid fuel a controlling device 4 is provided which is adapted to operate a shaft 5'to which is operatively connected a stack damper 6, a valve 7 in thepipe 8 for controlling the flow of fuel oil to the furnace, and an ash pit door 9.

In order to atomize the liquid fuel I provide, according to my invention, an electric motor 10, to the shaft 11 of whlch is a tached a conical disk 12, the mounting being such that 'the disk 12 is positioned within the furnace, adjacent to the furnace door opening 2. Y

The liquid fuel supply pipe 8 leadsinto the conical disk, so that as the liquid fuel flows from the pipe into the disk, it is atom-v ized and sprayed into the furnace by centrifugal action due to the rapid revolution of the motor shaft '11.

The speed of the motor is controlled by a rheostat 42, the contact arm 13 of which is operatively connected through a rod 14 and a lever 15 with the shaft 5.

The controller 4 may comprise a casing havmg piston chambers 16 and 17 containmg the respective pistons 18 and 19. The piston stems 20 and 21 of the respective pistons 18 and 19 are pivotally connected to a cross head 22 which in turn is pivotally connected to a rod 23, and the rod 23 is connected to a lever 24, secured to the shaft 5.

The space at the under side of. each piston is connected by pipe 25 to a constant source of fluid pressure, preferably utilizing the pressure of the liquid employed as fuel, as shown in the drawing.

The pistons 18 and 19 are provided with the respective equalizing ports 26 and 27 through which the fluid under pressure below each piston tends to equalize into the space above the corresponding piston.

Valves 28 and 29 having corresponding valve 1 stems 30 and 31 are provided for effecting the exhaust of fluid under pressure above the respective pistons 18 and 19 to a pipe 32.

The valves 28 and 29 are yieldingly held seated by the respective springs 33 and 34 and for effecting the opening of the valves, a cross head 35 is provided, having adjustable hand screws 36 and 37 adapted to engage the respective valves 28 and 29.

The cross head 35 is connected by a stem 38 with a flexible diaphragm 39, subject on one side to the pressure of an adjustable coil spring 40, and on the opposite side to steam pressure, as supplied through pipe 41 from the steam boiler 1. 1

The stack damper 6 is connected by an arm 43, rod 44 and lever 45 with shaft 5, while the valve 7 is connected to said shaft through arm 46, rod 47 and lever 48. The ash pit door 9 may be operated by a chain 49 adapted to engage a sheave 50 on the shaft 5. V

A weighted arm 51 is connected to the shaft 5 and tends to rotate the shaft by gravity.

In operation, if the steam pressure in the boiler exceeds a predetermined maximum degree, the force of the spring 40 of the controller 4 will be overcome by steam pressure acting on the diaphragm 39 so that the diaphragm will move the rod 38 to its lowermost position, inwhich the screws 36 and 37 engage both valves 28 and 29 and open same.

Liquid fuel under pressure, previously equalized into the chambers above the pistons l8 and 19 through the ports 26 and 27, is then exhausted through pipe 32, so that said pistons are shifted to their uppermost positions by the pressure of liquid acting below the pistons.

The rod 23 is then raised by the pistons 18 and 19 so as to effect the partial rotation l of shaft 5 to the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

In this position, the valve 7 is closed to a predetermined extent so as to provide the desired rate of flow of liquid fuel for a stack damper 6 so as to restrict the draft to correspond with the restricted fire and the ash pit .door 9 is also moved to restrict the draft through the ash pit.

If the steam pressure in the boiler reduces to a predetermined degree, the pressure of the spring &0 will move the diaphragm 39 against the reduced steam pressure, so as to first permitthe valve 28 to close. The liquid pressure on the under side of the piston 18 will then equalize through the restricted port 26permitting the piston 18 to move down and thereby rotate the shaft 5 through the rod 23 and the lever 24:.

The rotation of shaft 5 causes the valve 7 to be opened wider, so that an increased flow of liquid fuel is supplied to the disk 12 while the rheostat arm 13 is moved to cut resistance out of the circuit of the motor 10, so that the motor will speed up to correspond withxthe increased flow of liquid fuel.

The stack damper 6 and the ash pit door 9 are also moved to provide an increased draft in accordance with the requirements of the increased furnace fire.

If the steam pressure in the boiler continues to fall, the spring 40 will move the diaphragm 39 and rod 38, so as to permit the closing of valve 29 and the consequent equalization of pressures on opposite sides of the piston 19.

The piston 19 then moves downwardly and causes the further rotation of shaft 5, so that the valve 7 is opened still wider, while the rheostat arm 13 is again shifted to cut out more resistance from the motor circuit and thus permit the further speeding up of the motor 10.

As will be evident, the stack damper 6 and the ash pit door 9 are also operated to provide a further increase in the draft openmgs.

WVhen the steam pressure rises above a predetermined degree, the diaphragm 39 is depressed bythe increased steam pressure so as to first open the valve 29. Liquid under pressure is then vented from the chamber above piston 19, so that said piston is operated by the liquid under pressure below the piston and the rod 23 operates to rotate the shaft 5, so that the stack damper 6 and the ash pit door 9 are partly closed, while the valve 7 is operated to reduce the flow of liquid fuel through pipe 8 and the speed of the motor 10 is reduced by the operation of the rheostat arm 13 to cut resistance into the motor circuit.

If the steam pressure rises still further, the diaphragm 29 is moved by steam pressure so as to operate the valve28 and vent liquid from the top of piston 18. Said piston then lifts the rod 23 and rotates the shaft 5 a further amount, so that the speed of the motor andthe flow of liquid fuel is further reduced, while the stack damper 6 and the ash pit door 9 are further closed, to reduce the draft to correspond with the reduced fire. Y 7

If forced draft be employed, means may be provided for operating thecontroller a according to variations in the degree of forced draft.

For this purpose, an auxiliary-valve device 51 is provided, comprising a casing containing a diaphragm 52, subject on one side to a spring 53 and having a stem 54 for operating a valve 55.

The valve 55 is adapted to control the venting of liquid from the piston chamber 17 of the controller 4.

According to oneapplication, the chamber above the diaphragm is connected by a pipe 56 to the interior of the usual steam nozzle 57, which is mounted in the smoke stack 3 for causing a forced draft.

In operation, if the forced draft is operating, the pressure of steam in the nozzle 5'? acts on the diaphragm 52, against the resistance of spring 53 to hold the valve 55 closed, so that the controller then operates as hereinbefore described.

If, however, the forced draft is shut off, then the pressure above the diaphragm 52 will be reduced, enabling the spring 53 to operate the diaphragm to open the valve 55 and vent liquid above piston 19 to the exhaust.

The piston 19 will then be lifted by the liquid pressure acting below the piston, so as to rotate the shaft 5 to a position for reducing the intensity of the fire.

Another method of operating the auxiliary valve device is illustrated in Fig; 4 of the drawing, in which the spring chamber of the auxiliary valve device is connected by a pipe 57 directly to the smoke stack, While the chamber above the diaphragm is open to the atmosphere.

In operation, When the forced draft is open, a partial vacuum is produced in the smoke stackl, permitting the atmospheric pressure above the diaphragm 52 to overcome the resistance of spring 53 and operate the diaphragm 52 to hold the valve 55 closed.

If the forced draft be shut ofl, then the spring53 Will actuate the diaphragm 52 so as to open the valve 55 and thereby effect the operation of piston 19, so that the shaft 5 is rotated to a position for effecting a reduction in the intensity of the fire.

Having noW described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Lettcrs Patent, is

1. The combination with a steam boiler and furnace, of an electric motor, means operated by said motor for atomizing liquid fuel, a valve for regulating the supply of liquid fuel to said means, a rheostat for regulating the speed of the motor, a shaft operatively connected to said valve and rheostat, and means governed according to the pressure of steam in the boiler for operating said shaft.

2. The combination with a steam boiler and furnace, of an electric motor, means operated by said motor for atomizing liquid fuel, a valve for regulating the supply of liquid fuel to said means, a rheostat for regulating the speed of the motor, dampers for regulating the draft of the furnace, a shaft operatively connected to said valve, the rheostat, and the dampers, and means governed by the boiler steam pressure for operating said shaft.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SIDNEY G. DOWN. 

